Soviet submarines in Baltic (re-done)

Work is a cross-reference between modern Russian sources (sovboat.ru) and modern German sources (historisches-marinearchiv.de)Similar works and tables made on english-based sites (uboat.net and wikipedia) and older english literature are not updated and contain a number of mistakes.Image credits (c) Navypedia.org

Total 79 units with 45 losses with 61 ships sunk, 20 ships damaged (counting only confirmed).The losses-victories result was 1.35 Enemy military ships lost include submarines U-144 and U-367, torpedo boat T-3, T-5, T-34 , auxiliary gunboat LAT-7, patrol ship V-2022 and a minesweeper-launch sunk and were damaged patrol ship Vs-302, landing barge F-188.The other confirmed victims were 53 merchants, tankers, transports, trawlers, and schooners that were sunk, destroyed or damaged without being repaired. Other 15 units were damaged and remained/returned to service

Lists of submarines

Shcuka series III ShCh-301 (lost 28 Aug 1941 mine from field Finnish minelayers Riilahti and Ruotsinsalmi) ShCh-302 (lost Oct 1942 mine from German fields “Nashorn”, “Seeigel” or “Juminda”))ShCh-303 Received the Guards Badge20/Jul/42 badly damaged German merchant Aldebaran(7891 GRT) torpedo. Was full of troops but only 3 KIA and 3 WIA.ShCh-304 (lost Nov 1942 mine from German field “Nashorn”)

Leninist series IIL-1 (decommissioned in August 1941)L-2 (lost 14 Nov 1941 mine from field laid by Finnish minelayer Riilahti (note: wreck found in 2006))L-3The best ever Soviet submarine with 10 victories (two other likely, other four possible). Received the Guards Badge.A number of victories claimed post-war with mines on 1941 are currently discredited. Others are unconfirmed and listed here. 1/Oct/41 it is possible that Latvian merchant Kaija (1876 GRT) sunk on submarine’s mine19/Nov/41 it is possible that German merchant Henny (764 GRT) sunk on submarine’s mine (or by German defensive field).22/Nov/41 it is possible that Swedish tanker Uno (408 GRT) sunk on submarine’s mine (or by German defensive field)26/Nov/41 it is possible that German merchant Egeran (1143 GRT) sunk on submarine’s mine (or by German defensive field).18/Aug/42 sunk Swedish merchant C.F. Liljevalch (5513 GRT) torpedo. Cargo of iron ore. 28/Aug/42 sunk German trawler Walter (177 GRT) mine 17/Nov/42 sunk German merchant Hindenburg (7880 GRT) mine. Cargo of 36 vehicles and 1000 Soviet POWs (6 of them killed). 30/Nov/42 sunk German merchant Dirschau (762 GRT) mine (wreck never found, but remains located in proper position)9/Dec/42 sunk German merchant Edith Bosselmann (952 GRT) mine5/Feb/43 it is likely that German merchant Tristan (1701 GRT) was sunk on old submarine’s mine (field undetected by Germans).6/Feb/43 it is likely that German merchant Grundzee (866 GRT) was sunk on old submarine’s mine (field undetected by Germans).14/Nov/44 badly damaged German sailing training ship Albert Leo Schlageter (3655 GRT) mine 20/Nov/44 sunk German fleet torpedo boat T-34 with mine 29/Jan/45 sunk German merchant Henry Lütgens (1141 GRT) mine17/Apr/45 sunk German transport ship Goya (5230 GRT) torpedo. Ship carried at least 6100 persons (but possibly more unregistered): at least 1500 soldiers, 385 wounded soldiers and 3500 civilians died.19/April/45 sunk German minesweeping motor-launch with torpedo.(Boat was one of the launches assigned to vessel MRS-11: she was on the path of the torpedo that was aiming at the larger ship and was destroyed).

Leninist series XIIImod L-21 Second best submarine in Baltic, with 9 victories (and possibility of other two).. 23/Nov/44 damaged German merchant Eichberg(1923 GRT) mine 24/Nov/44 sunk Danish merchant Elie(1873 GRT) mine and damaged German patrol ship Vs-302 on mine the same dayand sunk Swedish merchant Hansa (563 GRT) torpedo the same day. 83 people died.22/Dec/44 it is possible that German merchant Eberhard (749 GRT) sunk on submarines’ mines (proper location, but explosion/mine hit not observed by coast).14/Mar/45 sunk German torpedo boat T-3 mineand sunk German torpedo boat T-5 mine the same day16/Mar/45 sunk German submarine U-367 with mine23/Mar/45 sunk German patrol ship V-2022/E Colzmann torpedo25/Mar/45 sunk German gunboat LAT-7 Gretel with torpedo25/Apr/45 it is possible that German patrol boat Vs-343 sunk on submarine’s mines (ship missing without trace)

Kalev series (ex-Estonian submarines)Kalev (lost Nov 1941 mine possibly from German field “Juminda”. Wreck not yet found)Lembit Received the Order of the Red Banner. While Lembit has only 3 confirmed victories, there is possibility of other three.A number of victories claimed post-war with mines on 1941 are currently discredited. 14/Sept/42 damaged German merchant Finnland (5281 GRT) torpedo. Carried troops: 10 killed, 86 wounded. 13/Oct/44 sunk Danish merchant Hilma Lau (2414 GRT) torpedo. Cargo of coal.15/Oct/44 it is possible that a German fishing boat torpedoed and sunk 24/Nov/44 sunk German trawler Spreeufer (216 GRT) mine 13/Feb/45 it is possible that German minesweeper M-421 sunk on a submarine’s mine. 1/May/45 it is possible that German landing barge F-193 sunk on a submarine’s mine.

Pravda series IVP-1 (lost 10 Sept 1941 mine from German field “Juminda” (note: wreck found in 2008))P-2 used as transport and training-ship. Decommissioned in 1944.P-3 used as transport and training-ship. Decommissioned in 1944.

older submarines

B-2 old veteran of the Russian Civil War. Used for training and later to recharge batteries.While named “Pantera” torpedoed and sunk the British destroyer HMS Vittoria on 31/Aug/19 during the Russian Civil War. It was the only submarine victory scored by Soviet submarines in Baltic during the conflict, it was also the only destroyer ever sunk by a Russian or Soviet submarine with torpedo attack.

L-55 old ex- British submarine of WWI sunk in action by Soviets during Russian Civil War. Used to recharge batteries.

Addition!:Some of modern authors had detracted in the last years the sinking of U-367: usually linked with mines laid by Soviet submarine L-21.A strange radio communication (with clear mistakes) was attributed to U-367 and indicated the possibility that she was lost out of the L-21's field (this message was however puzzling, because even the same number of reported submarine was wrong: U-3010).In Fall 2013 a group of Polish divers found and explored a previously identified U-boat wreck that lie perfectly in the area of L-21 mines.Even if the identification could not have been made at 100%, the divers believed for a number of elements that it was U-367 (a number of details coincide, including battle damage, class of submarine and lack of other U-boats losses in that location). http://forum-nuras.com/printview.php?t= ... 67fe2221a2http://vimeo.com/78585591

L-21 now share the top of the best of Soviet submarines with L-3 and L-4: all achieved 9 victories among sinking and damaging.(however L-3 remains the most successful, considering the targets and the amount of sinking ones).

Addition!Miroslav Morozov in 2015 revised the case of loss of German merchant "Dirschau" occurred on 30 November 1942 and assigned it to submarine L-3 (with mine).L-3 is now officially the best Soviet submarine of WW2 with a tally of 10 victories, having surpassed L-4 and L-21 (both with 9 victories).Statistics has been revised.

Update!Discovery of wreck of submarines ShCh-320 and ShCh-406: both vessels lost due German mines. Previously ShCh-406 believed sunk by German small minesweepers, also Finnish sources made a wrong claim of ShCh-320 for their submarine Iku-Turso.

Major Updates: * Inserted main credits of original sources (neutral modern Russian source and German source as cross-work).* During years 2010-2018 a number of Soviet submarines wrecks have been discovered in Baltic Sea! Fate of some ships has been revised as consequences (such revision occurred only on updated Russian sources). Significantly, currently no Soviet submarine can be claimed as sunk by enemy depth charges attack in the Baltic Sea area!(only ShCh-408, S-3 and S-4 sunk by enemy surface ship direct action: all due gunfire or ramming).All Finnish claims with depth charges done by minelayers or patrol boats are currently discredited.* Added few damaging victories scored during Winter War* Added unconfirmed-shared victories to L-3, L-21 and Lembit* One submarine is no more considered a battle loss: M-74 (already on reserve status when hit by bombers in harbor. Submarine was lifted and alongside the rest of subclass placed on reserve).